Professor Nora Shields is a prolific researcher in the youth disability space. Dr Shields is a professor of physiotherapy at La Trobe university in Melbourne, Australia. She hails from Ireland completing her Physiotherapy degree and PhD at Trinity College in Dublin, and also holds a Graduate Certificate in Higher Education. Dr Shields developed a program called FitSkills, an innovative program which facilitates young people with disability (YPWD) to exercise with a physiotherapy student mentor, addressing the lack of social support barrier to physical activity for YPWD. Nora tells us about the program and how it’s making a difference to the lives of YPWD as well as physio students. We also chat about the less general skills you learn by doing a PhD and explore some of the social and societal barriers preventing YPWD living their best lives.

Nora’s bio – 3.23
Intro – 5.16
Career pathway – 6.16
PhD - inelectro therapy – 11.44
Skills you gain in a PhD – writing – 16.03
Physical activity in disability benefits – 19.22 
Barriers – 22.52
FitSkills story – 27.34
Contact theory in fit skills – 37.04
Importance of experience with YPWD for Physios & health workforce – 38.32
YPWD in the workforce – 44.46
FitSkills early outcomes – 46.24
New project Gym Spark – 51.56
Final thoughts - Prevention, Brain Health & Adult care of YPWD – 55.19

Prof Shield’s Latrobe Uni profile (contact details & publications tab) https://scholars.latrobe.edu.au/nshields

LinkedIn - https://au.linkedin.com/in/nora-shields-a401226

Research Gate - https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Nora-Shields

Twitter - @DrNoraShields

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